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History Paper 2: The Home Front During WW1 Pt 1 (Recruitment (Over 6…

Over 6 million men joined up in the first six weeks of the war, many were worried that if they waited, they might miss the 'fun'

By 1915 casualties were mounting fast. A massive propaganda effort was made to try to keep up the numbers of volunteers up. There were posters everywhere encouraging me to enlist (join up)

Initially volunteers rushed to sign up due to :- Patriotism, a believe Britain was right to go to war against the brutal aggression of Germany, thinking the war would be over by Christmas

In 1916 conscription (making military service compulsory) acts were passed - the first for unmarried men between 18 and 41 and the second for all men of military age

Some men (conscientious objectors or 'conchies') refused to fight, but many of them were prepared to do other kinds of war work e.g. driving ambulances. Around 1500 men refused to be involved in any way and they were imprisoned

Those in 'reserved occupations' doing vital war work eg. miners were exempt (didn't have to join up)

Of the 5 million men who served in the British armed forces, around 750,000 were killed and 2 million injured. there was Hardly a family in Britain who wasn't affected by the war!

The munitions crisis

The government set up a Ministry of Munitions under the control of David Lloyd George

In 1915 the Daily Mail newspaper exposed a munitions crisis - there was a serious shortage of shells, bullets and guns on the Western Front

Government munitions factories were built and the latest machinery and mass-production methods were introduced

The state (government) controlled more than 20,000 munitions factories and those who worked in them - they even employed women!

Shells, bombs and threats of invasion

In December 1914 German battleships shelled towns along the north-east coast of Britain including Scarborough

Zeppelin (German airships) raids killed 564 people and injured 1370

German Gotha bombers raided London in June 1917 killing 162 people including 16 children who died when their school was hit

The government reacted to the attacks by installing searchlights, anti-aircraft guns and barrage balloons

Women's war work and the vote

Women's contribution to the war effort by working on the land, in factories, in all sorts of jobs at home and with the troops really helped them to gain the vote

Women worked as bus conductors, police and railway staff. Initially women had to find this work themselves and the Suffragette's held a huge demonstration in London demanding the 'Right to serve' (for women to be able to do their bit and fill the men's jobs)

When conscription was introduced for men in 1916, there was an even greater need for female workers - women were now encouraged to work in the factories, driving buses, building ships, in the Land Army or perhaps most importantly in the munitions factories

Some women went to the Western Front where the fighting was taking place e.g. as nurses

After the war was over most women gave up their jobs for the returning men, but attitudes had changed permanently and there were never again such clear divisions between men's and women's work

In 1918 women over the age of 30 who were householders or married to householders gained the vote through the Representation of People Act

The government gave the vote to all men over 21 which meant that even soldiers serving abroad could vote and that all soldiers had faced the conflict so should receive the vote